4 Smooches

Synopsis

Cooper Krenshaw knows what it’s like to feel the bright lights upon him, the sound of the crowd roaring when he walks on stage; after all, he happens to be one of the biggest names in country music at the moment. And he has knowingly just dropped off the grid. The first decision he has made on his own in quite some time. Cooper only thought he was looking for a challenge when he walked off of that concert stage in Chicago. After finding himself in Devil’s Bend, Texas, he soon realizes that the dream he’s been chasing might not be the one he was after all along.

Now he’s found himself not only starting over in a new town, but he’s pretty sure he’s met the toughest challenge of his life… she just happens to be an angel in blue jeans.

Tessa Donovan hasn’t been the best of friends with Fate for quite some time now. Owning and operating The Rusty Nail, a small bar in her hometown of Devil’s Bend, has been enough to keep her going through the motions of her life. But it’s the only thing she’s got. After losing her husband fifteen short months after they were married, Tessa has spent the last four years chasing dreams in order to maintain her sanity. Only those dreams are soon ripped right out of her grasp by a sexy country music star who claims he descended on her small town by accident.

Coincidence? Or has Fate stepped in once again? Whatever the case, Tessa knows the handsome cowboy might get to overtake her dreams, but she’s bound and determined that he won’t take her heart.

Review

“That was the point in her life when she’d realized she would never find a man who could replace Richie. Never.”

Chasing Dreams is book 1 in the Devil’s Bend series by Nicole Edwards and I was extremely excited to get the chance to read this seeing as how I have loved her other series. I was not let down. While it is clear that this series is going to be very different than the Alluring Indulgence and Club Destiny series focusing more on monogamous relationships it was still fabulous. Maybe there is something down there in the water in Texas but Nicole knows how to write a sexy cowboy like nobody else!

“If I kiss you, Tessa, I won’t be able to stop,”

Tessa Donovan’s heart was broken when her husband died in the line of duty. Content to run her bar and know that her one true love is gone and she is never getting that back she goes on with life for years living a quiet existence. All of that is thrown out the door when she locked eyes with super sexy cowboy and famous county music singer Cooper Krenshaw. Deciding he is tired of the hustle of Nashville, Cooper decides to move to Devil’s Bend and soon after he decided that Tessa is his and she just needs to learn this. Can Tessa learn that you can have more than one “true love” and give into all she is feeling?

“I’m not looking for one night, Tessa.” “I’m not looking for forever, cowboy,”

This book had so many wonderful things in it, drama, good sex and a panty dropping sexy cowboy. I loved it! I will warn you if you are going into this looking for some ménage action or a little m/m this story does not have that. What it does have is a sexy Alpha Cowboy who gives good dirty talk and even better at the real thing. I loved how even thought Tessa has been through the worst kind of tragedy she didn’t let it break her and even learned that life is short and set about chasing all her dreams. Chasing Dreams was a uplifting story that was an easy read and clearly the start of a great series

~miranda

5 Smooches

Synopsis

After the only girl he ever loved told him that he would never be enough, Rowdy St. James knocked the Texas dust off his boots and set out to live up to his nickname. A good ol’ boy looking for good times and good friends, Rowdy refuses to take anything too seriously, especially when it comes to the opposite sex. Burned by love once, he isn’t going to let himself trust a woman again. But that’s before his new co-worker arrives, a ghost from the past who’s suddenly making him question every lesson he ever learned.

Salem Cruz grew up in house with too many rules and too little fun—a world of unhappiness she couldn’t wait to forget. But one nice thing from childhood has stayed with her; the memory of the sweet, blue-eyed boy next door who’d been head over heels in love with her little sister.

Now, fate and an old friend have brought her and Rowdy together, and Salem is determined to show him that once upon a time he picked the wrong sister. A mission that is working perfectly—until the one person that ties them together appears, threatening to tear them apart for good.

Review

“I feel like you and the past have been chasing me down ever since you walked in to that shop, Salem. What are you going to do if I decide to let you catch me?”

Rowdy is the fifth book in the Marked Men series by Jay Crownover and in many ways it takes me back to the first book, Rule. Rowdy and Salem have a deep history and that history both taints and enhances all that they come to have. Despite being a couple years older than him Salem and Rowdy were best friends as kids but that is where it stopped. Feeling trapped in her small consecutive town with her preacher father who was full of judgment for his non perfect daughter, Salem quickly got out as soon as she graduated leaving orphan Rowdy there alone with just her all to perfect sister, Poppy. Rowdy desired all that Poppy stood for and soon they too become close but in the end all that Rowdy left their town with was a broken heart and the clothes on his back.

“I’ve heard you say my name in a lot of ways, Salem. Gotta say hearing you say it in bed when I’m about to eat you is probably my favorite to date.”

When Nash calls and offers Salem a job at the new shop (per Phil’s request) she cannot say no to reconnecting to the one friend she was sad to lose when she left home. But seeing him her feelings for grown up Rowdy are very very grown up! Oh yeah! These two and their tangled past broke my heart at times. You could see that they wanted each other but damn why must they fight so hard. Salem is so into him but just can’t get past his past with her sister and for him Salem reminds him of all those who have left him. Can these two get past these hooks up and all their other issues to find peace with themselves and their pasts?

“You always made me really happy, Rowdy. I’m sort of infatuated with all the different ways you make me happy now that we’re all grown up.”

This book was oh so steamy and had me wiggling in my chair reading it! I knew that Rowdy would get me all riled up and I do love when I am right. But then again which of the Marked Men has not been sexy as hell! Once Rowdy lets loose there is no turning back and I LOVED this sexy man!

“”I always thought it was the firsts that matter, but now I know that it’s the lasts that stay with you.”

This book is a great New Adult novel with an erotic feel. The characters are young and fun and you get peeks into the lives of all the couples from previous books which is a nice little thrill for me and a bit of story into what Asa’s book will be like (come on April I am dying over here) Overall I was extremely pleased with this book and look forward to reading it again!

~miranda

3.5 Smooches

Synopsis

Welcome back to The Core. ALICE includes all four installments of Alice’s story: Enticed, Seduced, Exposed, and Elevated!

The most exclusive, anything-goes, all-night dance club is alive with music, drinks, and unrivaled passion. As The Core’s top matchmaker, Alice is gunning for a promotion. One she’s got locked down as long as nothing disrupts her dance-floor dominating routine. But when the sexy mechanic Evan walks into her work and shakes her confidence in her matchmaking abilities, Alice can’t resist his good looks or his passionate ways. He sweeps her off her feet, enticing her with the adrenaline of his bike and the intensity of his attraction to her.

But Alice knows she can’t get close to anyone from The Core. And after learning the secrets in Evan’s past that drive his irresistible, never-hold-back personality, she’s not sure she can let him go without falling back on the dangerous patterns that haunt her own drug-addicted history. Admitting his part in the devastating loss of his brother nearly rips Evan apart.

Those pills locked in a drawer in her office grow more tempting with each passing day.

Now it’s Alice’s turn to let go of her fears and elevate herself to a new level… one filled with passion, confidence, and—she hopes—Evan’s reckless love.

Alice’s tale unfolds in this collection from The Core with a hot, emotional story that will tantalize new readers of the series and fans of The Core: Andee alike.

Review

Going into this new set of stories by Nola and Emily I was expecting it to be heavy on the sex and light on the romance. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that original matchmaker and all around awesome Core girl, Alice, does indeed have a nice backstory and romance.

The first set of stories while incredibly sexy was more about self discovery and sexual awakening. The Core: Alice on the other hand is more about Alice discovering who she is and what she is capable of and learning that although her decisions in the past have not always been the best she does deserve to find love and a real life,

Evan is a friend of the boss, Derek, and from the beginning he is only interested in Alice. This is scary as hell for her and while she clearly wants him she is too devoted to her job and staying clean to give into him.

Overall, This was a fast and super sexy read and while I liked the first set of stories The Core: Andee I thought The Core: Alice was much better! I look forward to seeing what these author have in-store for us next!

~miranda